Hand-held game machine

Abstract

There is described a hand-held game machine including a box which is rectangular when viewed from above, a built-in battery, a game control section driven by the power supplied from the battery, and a flat display. In the game machine, the flat display is arranged substantially in the center of the surface of the box; a key entry switch is provided on one side of the longitudinal center line of the flat display; and one end of a loop string is connected to at least one corner of the box on the same side as that on which the key entry switch is provided, wherein the length of the loop string is set so that the player can place his fingers at the operating position of the key entry switch while the loop of the loop string is wrapped around at least the flat portion of his hand.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A hand-held game machine comprising: 
 a rectangular box which is rectangular when viewed from above and includes 
 a battery,  
 a game control section activated by means of power supplied from the battery, and  
 a flat display;  
   a key entry switch disposed on the surface of the box; and    a loop string which is fixed on at least one corner of the box and has a loop, wherein    the length of the loop string is set so that the player's fingers (particularly his thumbs) can be placed at the operating position of the key entry section while the loop of the loop string is wrapped around his wrist.    
     
     
         2 . The hand-held game machine defined in    claim 1   , wherein 
 (a) the flat display is disposed in substantially the center of the surface of the box;    (b) the key entry section is disposed on one side of the flat display on the surface of the box with respect to the longitudinal direction; and    (c) one end of the loop string is fixed on at least one corner on the side on which the key entry switch is disposed.    
     
     
         3 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 2   , wherein in the side edge of the box above the upper side of the flat display and in the side edge of the box below the lower side of the same, there are provided, in such locations so as not to hinder the player from playing a game, a member, such as a connector, which permits connection with an external device; a cartridge insert port for receiving a cartridge having game software stored therein; and various movable switches or members which are not operated or cannot be actuated during the game.  
     
     
         4 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 3   , wherein the hand-held game machine is a pocket-sized hand-held game machine.  
     
     
         5 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 1   , wherein the battery is incorporated on one side of the rectangular box with respect to the longitudinal center of the box, and the flat display is provided on the surface on the other side of the box; and one end of the loop string is fixed on the same side as that on which the flat display is disposed.  
     
     
         6 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 1   , wherein one end of the loop string is fixed on the same side as that on which the flat display is disposed.  
     
     
         7 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 6   , wherein the hand-held game machine is a pocket-sized hand-held game machine.  
     
     
         8 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 7   , wherein the hand-held game machine has a maximum thickness of 30 mm, a shorter side of 80 mm, and a longer side of 130 mm.  
     
     
         9 . A hand-held game machine by which a player causes a game program to proceed through operations performed by way of a controller, the game machine including 
 a circuit board on which is mounted a semiconductor device for causing the game program to proceed,    a display section disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board, and    a case which houses the circuit board, the display section, and the controller, with an opening formed in the upper surface of the case, wherein    the controller at a base portion is in contact with the internal surface on the underside of the case, at an intermediate portion which passes through the opening formed in the circuit board, and comprises a shaft extending toward the opening of the case, a cross-shaped member extending radially from the shaft, and a mechanical switch provided on the cross-shaped member; and    when the shaft is tilted while the base portion of the shaft is used as a fulcrum, the shaft and the cross-shaped member press the mechanical switch.    
     
     
         10 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 9   , wherein the peripheral edge of the opening formed in the upper surface of the case is tapered.  
     
     
         11 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 10   , wherein the hand-held game machine is a pocket-sized hand-held game machine.  
     
     
         12 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 11   , wherein the hand-held game machine has a maximum thickness of 30 mm, a shorter side of 80 mm, and a longer side of 130 mm.  
     
     
         13 . A game machine by which a player causes a game program to proceed through operations performed by way of a controller, the game machine including 
 a circuit board on which is mounted a semiconductor device for causing the game program to proceed,    a display section disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board, and    a case which houses the circuit board, the display section, and the controller, with an opening formed in the upper surface of the case, wherein    the controller at a base portion is in contact with the internal surface on the underneath of the case, at an intermediate portion which passes through the opening formed in the circuit board, and comprises a shaft extending toward the opening of the case, a cross-shaped member extending radially from the shaft, and a mechanical switch provided on the cross-shaped member; and    when the shaft is tilted while the base portion of the shaft is used as a fulcrum, the shaft and the cross-shaped member press the mechanical switch.    
     
     
         14 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 13   , wherein the peripheral edge of the opening formed in the upper surface of the case is tapered.  
     
     
         15 . A cartridge to be used in combination with a connector having a projection section on which contact pins are aligned in a row, 
 the cartridge including 
 memory having program stored therein,  
 a circuit board having wiring patterns formed thereon and having the memory provided on the wiring patterns, and  
 a case in which the circuit board is housed, wherein one end of the wiring patterns extends to one end of the circuit board; the case has at one end a hollow section enclosed with an upper wall portion, a lower wall portion, and left and right side wall portions; the hollow section receives the projection section of the connector; and one end of the wiring patterns is within the hollow section,  
 wherein  
   the upper wall portion, the lower wall portion, and the left and right wall portions are integrally formed together.    
     
     
         16 . A hand-held game machine which permits the player to play a game through use of the cartridge defined in    claim 15   , the game machine comprising: 
 a connector removably and electrically connectable with the cartridge;    a semiconductor device which causes the game program of the cartridge to proceed;    a display section which communicates the progress of the game program to the player;    a controller by way of which the player performs entry operations; and    a circuit board electrically connected to the connector, the display section, and the controller, wherein the display section and the controller are disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board; the connector is disposed on the lower surface of the circuit board; and the connector has a projection section including contact pins which come into electrical contact with wiring patterns provided on the circuit board.    
     
     
         17 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 16   , wherein the semiconductor device is provided on the lower surface of the circuit board so as to become opposite to the cartridge inserted into the connector, and a wall portion is disposed between the semiconductor device and the connector.  
     
     
         18 . A hand-held game machine by which a player causes a game program to proceed through operations performed by way of a controller, the game machine including 
 a circuit board on which is mounted a semiconductor device for causing the game program to proceed,    a display section disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board, and    a case which houses the circuit board, the display section, and the controller, with an opening formed in the upper surface of the case, wherein    the case has an indentation in the center of the bottom surface, and the indentation has tapered portions where the player's fingers touch the bottom surface of the case when the player holds the case with both his hands while playing a game.    
     
     
         19 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 18   , wherein (a) a string is fixed on at least one corner of the box and has a loop, and (b) the length of the loop string is set so that the player's fingers (particularly his thumbs) can be placed at the operating position of the key entry section while the loop of the loop string is wrapped around his wrist.  
     
     
         20 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 19   , wherein one end of the loop string is fixed on at least one corner on the side on which the key entry switch is disposed.  
     
     
         21 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 19   , wherein one end of the loop string is fixed on the same side as that on which the flat display is disposed.  
     
     
         22 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 21   , wherein the hand-held game machine is a pocket-sized hand-held game machine.  
     
     
         23 . The hand-held game machine as defined in    claim 22   , wherein the hand-held game machine has a maximum thickness of 30 mm, a shorter side of 80 mm, and a longer side of 130 mm.